Karnataka: "BJP-JDS will win all 14 seats in this phase," says former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda

HASSAN: Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Deve Gowda on Friday said that the BJP-JDS alliance will register a victory on all 14 seats of Karnataka where polling in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections is underway.

Karnataka has total of of 28 Lok Sabha seats and the rest 14 constituencies will go to polls on May 7.

"We are going to win (BJP-JDS) 14 out of 14 seats in this phase," HD Deve Gowda told reporters.

He further slammed that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi for "misleading" people through their poll advertisements in Karnataka.

"Congress has stooped to this level, having the photo of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge making promises. This is with the photo of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. Is Rahul Gandhi Prime Minister? Is Kharge Chief Minister or Prime Minister? They are only ordinary members of Congress. This is a pamphlet distributed in Karnataka just to mislead and fool the people," he said.

Earlier today, former Prime Minister Deve Gowda exercised his franchise at a polling booth in Hassan constituency.

Also, former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) candidate from Mandya Lok Sabha seat, HD Kumaraswamy, also expressed confidence in winning all 14 seats.

Karnataka is voting on 14 seats today in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections. JD(S) in alliance with BJP is contesting on three seats. The party is contesting from Mandya, Hassan, and Kolar seats. Voting began at 7 am.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and JD-S fought together against the BJP and the combine was decimated. The BJP had won a record 25 seats; Congress and JD-S won just one seat each.

The Lok Sabha election is being held in seven phases till June 1 and votes will be counted on June 4.

The first phase of voting for the seven-phased Lok Sabha election, the world's largest electoral exercise, was held on April 19 in 102 constituencies across 21 states and UTs. According to the Election Commission, the voter turnout registered was over 62 per cent. The third phase election will be held on May 7.